How to create a CUIX through code

[samideqlqpart350559]

1.how to...
create a cuix through vb.net code
2.how to...
make an installer for a plugin
thnks

[_gile]

Hi,

I never created a CUIX through code, but a quick search gives some results:
http://through-the-interface.typepad...ng_a_part.html
http://adndevblog.typepad.com/autoca...d-ins-tab.html

But if you build a plugin (bundle), you do not need to create the CUIX through code. You can build your partial CUIX from AutoCAD CUI command and just add the CUIX file to your plugin.

Building an installer is not related to AutoCAD but, one more time, Kean Walmsley covered the subjectsome times ago (it uses the the "old" loading via registry):
http://through-the-interface.typepad...er-part-1.html
http://through-the-interface.typepad...er-part-2.html
http://through-the-interface.typepad...er-part-3.html

In these subjects, Kean used Visual Studio 2008. The Visual Studio Setup and Deployment projects wizzard was only available in VS2008 and VS2010 professional (or upper) version.
It disappeared with the 2012 version but with VS2013 or VS2015 (even community editions) you can re-use it after installing an extension :
VS2013:
https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.mic...9-0fbf6151054d
VS2015:
https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.mic...7-c509fb8933b9
The MSDN docs for the 2010 Installer is still relevant with the extension:
English:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...vs.100%29.aspx
French:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/fr-fr/lib...vs.100%29.aspx

Deploying an AutoCAD plugin (bundle folder) with Windows Installer is quite easy, just build the bundle folder tree in the File System editor and fill it with the .xml, .cuix, .dll... files required by your plugin.

[samideqlqpart350559]

thank you so much
now that i have all necessary tools
i m going to build my first plug in in my life

one small step for me , ......
je vous tiendrai au courant.

[samideqlqpart350559]

Hi
what i understand is to specify to the users that the installation is for 2012 and upper
and set in the xml file
<Components Description="2012 to 2016 parts">
and fix Platform="AutoCAD*" SeriesMin="R18.2" SeriesMax="R20.1" />
ok?

[_gile]

I don't think you can have a single "2012 to 2016 parts" because there is a break in binary compatibility for .NET applications in the AutoCAD 2013 release due to the split of acad.exe into two files: acad.exe and accore.dll.
For AutoCAD 2013 and later, you need to rebuild your .NET projects referencing a new additional dll: AcCoreMgd.dll (in addition to AcMgd.dll and AcDbMgd.dll). For more details see this thread.

This is why, in the PackageContents I provided as example, there're two <Components .../> parts with two different assemblys:

  <Components Description="2012 parts">
    <RuntimeRequirements OS="Win32|Win64" Platform="AutoCAD*" SeriesMin="R18.2" SeriesMax="R18.2" />
    <ComponentEntry
      ...
      ModuleName="./Contents/ConverterPalette_18.dll"
      ...>
      ...
    </ComponentEntry>
  </Components>

and

  <Components Description="2013 to 2016 parts">
    <RuntimeRequirements OS="Win32|Win64" Platform="AutoCAD*" SeriesMin="R19.0" SeriesMax="R20.1" />
    <ComponentEntry
      ...
      ModuleName="./Contents/ConverterPalette_19.dll"
      ...>
      ...
    </ComponentEntry>
  </Components>

[samideqlqpart350559]

hello
to etablish xml file, exactly in ApplicationPackage
wher can i get the productcode and UpgradeCode
or i build my own (random) code?
ProductCode="{xxxxx-xx-..........}"
UpgradeCode="{xxx-xxx-xxxx..........}"
thank you

[_gile]

Hi,

Build your own. Visual Studio has a GUID generator (Tools > Create Guid).

[samideqlqpart350559]

Hi
I have read Migrating .NET applications to work with AutoCAD 2013 by Kean Walmsley
"For AutoCAD 2013 and later, you need to rebuild your .NET projects referencing a new additional dll: AcCoreMgd.dll (in addition to AcMgd.dll and AcDbMgd.dll)."

that's mean that i have my project built in autocad 2012 and i'll migrate to AutoCAD2013.
But when i build a new project for (2012 to 2016) AcMgd.dll and AcDbMgd.dll are included even if there is a break in binary compatibility .

What is your feeling about it? have'nt you try it to see if it works ?
a+

[_gile]

No, an AutoCAD .NET application build with 2007 to 2012 libraries definitively cannot work with AutoCAD 2013 or later (as the inverse).
This what you should understand if you'd attentively read Kean's post.
You need to rebuild the application targeting almost .NET Framework 4.0 and AutoCAD 2013 libraries.
This doesn't mean you need to rewrite the code, you can simply add a new project to your solution referencing the good libraries and 'add as link' the source code files from the working project to the new one.
This is one of the feature I tried to show with the ConverterPalette example.
ConverterPalette was build against AutoCAD 2013 libraries (2013 versions of AcCoreMgd.dll, AcDbMdg.dll and AcMgd.dll), then I added a new project called ConverterPalette_18 targeting AutoCAD 2012 libraries (2012 versions of AcDbMdg.dll and AcMgd.dll) and using the same folders tree, I added all source files 'as link' so that both projects share the same sources.

[samideqlqpart350559]

1-I don't found it do i have to install it?

2-I build a sample and the result is good .ok
but i got a small too small icon on the panel while my icon is 80x80.png?
how to get a large one's
thank